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Breaking Parole: An Analysis of the New York State Division of Parole's Caseload Management Guidelines

Organization:
Manhattan Borough President

Document Type:
Report

Date Created:
Friday, December 01, 2006

Submitted:
Monday, December 18, 2006

The New York State Division of Parole (DOP) exists to provide the level of supervision and assistance that returning prisoners need in order to become productive members of society. Critical to fulfilling this mission is the role of Field Parole Officers (FPOs). FPOs are case managers that provide community-based supervision and link formerly incarcerated persons to a host of services, such as substance abuse treatment, workforce development services and housing assistance. In many cases, FPOs are the first and only consistent contact that individuals on parole have upon their return to the outside world. As such, they play a pivotal role in protecting public safety, helping parolees avoid recidivism, and facilitating a responsible reentry process. Ensuring that FPOs are not overburdened by unmanageable caseloads and have adequate levels of institutional support and access to resources to do their jobs effectively is a key objective in any successful community corrections system.

Unfortunately, a recent survey conducted by the Office of the Manhattan Borough President reveals some alarming trends. Specifically, the survey results, gathered from 50% of the FPOs working in Metro I Region (Manhattan and the Bronx), demonstrates that the DOP is failing to take adequate measures to allow FPOs to do their jobs as effectively as possible. This report includes key findings and recommendations.